Chapter 2: White Harbour -273 - Winter

The road to White Harbour was rough but there were groups of workmen, repairing it. Her father had, in the past few years started a project repairing roads and the Kings highway, Karlyn explained as she rode the mare she had been given, her last Name Day. The black mare was steady and well mannered and not at all like the one her sister rode.

The Lannister party, numbered 35 guards plus Lord Kevan and Lady Dorna and four house servants. Lord Rickard had assigned a guard of 10 to Karlyn plus her maid. Lady Dorna and the maids rode in a wheelhouse, something Karlyn eschewed.

So Karlyn rode beside Lord Kevan, much to the hidden approval of the man. He approved of the ability to ride, and the fact that she took pains to look after her own horse. Their departure had, been brief, if the Starks had, had any emotional farewells, it had happened outside of his view. He admired the poise of the young girl, 9 winters old and leaving her home, barely 3 weeks after the passing of her mother. She dressed sensibly for one so young but according to his wife, that came from the Late Lady Lyarra, who had known the lady prior to her marriage.

It took them 15 days to reach White Harbour, staying at various keeps along the way. They moved swiftly despite the Wheelhouse, but, had they all been riding they could have made it in 12 or so. It would take them several weeks at sea though to reach Kings Landing.

As they stood in White Harbour, looking at the ships in the harbour, Karlyn felt slightly ill. Lady Dorna noted and stepped close. "Have you ever been on ships before?" she asked softly.

"No My Lady." came the girls response. "My brothers Brandon and Eddard have, but this is my first time leavinging Winterfell."

Lord Wyman Manderly laughed overhearing the words of Karlyn. "Ah young wolf, your brothers both lost their stomachs their first time on boats! You will bear better I think."

She flushed and looked up at the corpulent Lord. "Thank you my lord" She said. Wyman Manderly nodded and turned to Kevan to explain that the ship would leave the next morning, at first light. He then escorted them up to the New Castle.

The next morning, they boarded a well provisioned vessel, but Karlyn had to stop herself from shaking as she stepped onto the boards. A cold wind blew into the harbour and Lady Dorna moved to the cabin with a maester behind her. She had confessed to Karlyn the night before that she hated sailing and often spent the voyages sedated.

Karlyn however stood silently at the bow of the ship, out of the way of the sailors. Kevan left her to it. As sailors shouted and called to each other, Karlyn kept her gaze on the horizon as the boat slipped it's hauzers and moved towards the mouth of the harbour. She was on her way. Future was ahead. One she had no idea on how to handle.

Karlyn had assumed she would marry one of Lord Umbers sons, or and here she shuddered, a Manderly. But now, she was looking south. South, where her family rarely went. Eddard wrote with tales of the Eyrie but that was not Kings Landing. Her mother had been in Kings Landing once, when she was newly wed but nothing she had told Karlyn would be the same. In the North, the eldest daughter of Lord Rickard was considered sensible and a prospective bride for sons of noble houses, one who would follow their traditions and uphold the values of the north. South of the neck, things were different. She would always be the daughter of the Lord Paramount of the North, but, she knew from Ned, that the North was seen as uncouth and provincial in the eyes of the Southeron nobles. She had hoped that she could take time at Casterly Rock before facing the court in the Red Keep but now, that was not going to happen.

Even in Winterfell, she had heard about the Red Keeps Court. And she had instructions from her father NOT to make problems. Karlyn wouldn't make she also wouldn't be looked down on by those who thought her less due to being from the North. Karlyn Stark was not less and she would make her family proud. And if that meant, playing the game as it was called, then she would do so. She would watch, she would learn, she would protect her pack.

As the boat cleared the tall harbour walls, she thought about her brothers, and wondered what they were doing, were they on the road yet? She knew Brandon was returning to Barrow Hall and Lord Dustin and Ned, solemn Ned, would ride to the Eyrie and Lord Arryn. She knew Brandon had his own plans, and Ned, Ned just wanted to live a quiet life. He dreamed of rebuilding Moat Carlin, and would eventually petition their father for permission to do so.

Karlyn could see him as the Lord of Moat Carlin. And he would protect the Neck for Brandon. A horn off to the cliffs had her looking up at Old Castle. The tread of feet behind Karlyn, heralded the arrival of Lord Kevan.

"Old Castle." Kevan stated. "Impressive."

"Yes." She replied "used as a garrison these days but still impressive."

He studied her. "No sea sickness?"

"Not yet." Karlyn smiled faintly. "You can see the sisters from here." She pointed to the dark shapes on the horizon. My mother said they are very pretty in summer."

"She was well travelled I have heard"

Karlyn nodded. "Yes. My grandfather, He was a Flint of House Flint of the Mountains. A minor son. He made his way by doing trade. My grandmother, it is rumoured, for I never knew her, was from the Westlands. Near Kayce. He met her while trading. My mother, was their only daughter and the only daughter of her generation. It's where Benjen and I get our eyes from. Father said, he saw her and fell for her immediately. Though Brandon and Eddard doubt that. They think it was political." She shrugged "Either way, my mother had traveled extensively before she married my father under the heart tree"

"But... wouldn't she have followed the seven? If your grandmother was Westlander."

"No. My mother followed the Old Gods.. as do my family." Karlyn smiled. "We are strange people north of the neck, Lord Kevan." Her smile turned impish, reminding him that this was a nine year old girl. "And we like it that way."

A shout from behind them, had Kevan turning. "Ah, I think we best go below, they seem to want us below." He held out his arm.

Karlyn smiled and allowed him to lead her down to the cabins. Once they were below, Kevan left her to her maid and Karlyn and her maid, Mira Snow settled down in the cabin assigned to them.

"Well," Mira beamed at Karlyn "So now the adventure really begins"

"Oh shush" Karlyn said with a smile. "You just want to see the fashions in the Red Keep."

"Aye and why not." Mira grinned. Mira was from Cerwyn, and her father had arrived at Winterfell with her after her mother had passed. He worked in the stables and Mira had grown up as a servant within the halls. She had been assigned to Karlyn, who was her younger by 5 years when Karlyn was 7. She had a fascination with fashion and dresses, and didn't approve of her young charge's abilities with dagger and bow. But she let the subject drop and pulled out a book they had been given by Lord Stark. "Come, we need to review the families of the South."

"We have weeks!" Karlyn flopped back onto her bunk.

"Yes and we will need those weeks. Your father had hoped Lady Dorna would be able to assist but she is drugged into sleep. We need to work on it." Mira stated.

Karlyn was sorely tempted to pull what servants in Winterfell called a "Lyanna" and throw the biggest fit until she got her way, but chose not to. She was nine not seven. "Better get out that book on the Seven as well" she muttered.

Mira nodded. "Yes My Lady"

Authors Notes and Review responses:

Arianna Le Fay - No, but Rhaegar will be featured. I am going to throw some twists in, some that are not that original but I think I can find ways to make them work.